John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds Crossing. He can be reached at johndbuttrick@gmail.com

The ideals of free speech and safe space are estranged bedfellows in our nation. Advocates for free speech are a threat to anyone who feels criticized by that speech. Advocates for safe space are perceived to be censoring free expression of beliefs and opinions. To seek to reconcile free speech with safe space is to find oneself between a rock and a hard place. There seems to be no center position.

To the contrary, reactions to this conflict are becoming more and more belligerent. An example of the precariousness of taking a stand on an issue is the experience of Senator Chuck Schumer, a leader in the Jewish community. J-Street reports that in a recent speech, Senator Schumer spoke of “significant course corrections” Israel must make going forward, as well as the failures of leadership on the Palestinian side. He included both the settlement movement and Prime Minister Netanyahu on a list of “obstacles to peace,” criticizing the government’s “dangerous and inflammatory policies that test existing standards for assistance.” Immediately, MAGA Republicans and right-wing groups have started a faux outrage pile-on against Senator Schumer in an effort to shut down further debate. Even the Senate is not a safe space to speak controversial words!

This conduct of the MAGA leaders and their followers cultivates mean-spiritedness among the citizenry. The source of this angry arrogance originates from a leader whose personality includes the fantasy of invincibility. It is maintained with the deployment of conspiracy theories, lies, and misinformation. Opponents are portrayed as inferior fools, worthy only to be insulted with pejorative nicknames, to be threatened with legal action, and be the subjects upon which to inflict bodily harm.

Some people, like white nationalists and those who cling to their own comfortable culture, choose to follow the “invincible” leader who champions their aspirations. The leader is powered by fantasy, his followers are motivated by insecurity. It behooves the followers to attach themselves to the invincible leader in order to gain a safe space from which to influence government and society. With the backing of such a leader, it is a small step to belligerence and threatening behavior toward any who disagree with their aspirations, whether they are Muslims, Jews, people of color, immigrants, or woke.

So, when war broke out between Israel and Gaza, both the Jewish community and the Palestinian community in the United States became fair game for condemnation. Both antisemitism and anti-Muslim incidents have risen since Oct. 7. For example, Franklin Foer writes in the April 2024 edition of The Atlantic, that after Oct. 7, a 13-year-old boy in a Berkeley California middle school, told his parents stories about “anti-Semitic jibes hurled in his direction. On his way to math class, a kid walked up to him playing what he called a ‘Nazi salute song’ on his phone. Another said, ‘I don’t like your people.’” Another boy was asked, “are you Jewish?” He replied, “No way. I hate them.” Another said, “Kill Israel.” Laughter followed.

The question becomes, “are there no safe spaces?” Part of the answer is to give voice to the will of people, perhaps a majority, who denounce verbal and physical attacks on others and on social, cultural, and racial groups. The ideal of speaking freely and also of being safe has been with our country since its beginning. Consider the letters between George Washington and the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, R.I. The congregation writes to Washington, “Do these high values (of freedom) apply to us, your Jewish neighbors?” Washington responded, “May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

Even in our divided country today, it is possible to overcome hate speech and aggressive action. “Goodwill” is the operative word. Forthright free speech motivated by goodwill toward people with opposing points of view can reduce anxiety and increase communication. Goodwill replaces the urge to destroy the opposition. Goodwill frees people to focus on issues instead of faulting people. Goodwill builds safe spaces where differing people freely speak, learn, and grow together.

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It is the vision of the children of Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammad. If we choose, the vision of free speech in safe spaces can be the aspiration for our nation and all its people.